Pastor Dale's Blog

I’m a pastor. Specifically, I’m a pastor who teaches, disciples, counsels, coaches, mentors, directs, leads, equips, encourages, trains, and writes a little. In a word, I’m a shepherd. I’ve been at it since 1992, the year I graduated from seminary and was appointed to my first church as senior pastor, secretary, and head of maintenance.

Since those early days I have gained the most wonderful wife in the world, four precious children, and a wealth of experience shepherding souls – both at home and in the local church. Of course, I’m still learning… still growing… still accumulating more and more experience. I presently serve the wonderful saints at Southside United Methodist Church in Jacksonville, Florida (for which I'm eternally grateful).

I’m profoundly grateful to God for his call in my life to serve him and those he has graciously entrusted to my care. I count it a singular blessing, honor, and responsibility to be a shepherd of souls – both at home and church.

The thing about shepherding souls is that the ”souls” entrusted to my care are attached to real live, flesh and bone people who live in one world while maintaining citizenship in another. And though they (we) may not be of the world, they’re still in it. They’re not floating in space above it all, immune to the ravages of sin and evil and the consequent “fallenness” and “brokenness” of the world in which we live.

I take seriously God’s call in my life to shepherd, (in and through such a world), those he so dearly loves. In such an environment, a faithful shepherd will love, nourish, protect, lead, seek, sacrifice for, know, model integrity for, manage, help heal, and unite the flock of God (of whom he or she is a part). (I’m indebted to David W. Wiersbe and Thomas C. Oden for their books that wonderfully communicate the shepherding model of pastoral ministry.)

My earnest hope is that what I write on my blog will be a faithful extension of my ministry at Southside of shepherding souls. The Bible plainly teaches that every sphere of life is subject to the Lordship of Christ – as well as the Gospel of his Kingdom. Therefore, my blog will necessarily cover a lot of ground. The pasture of this world is seemingly boundless. My desire is to “shepherd God’s flock” through this blog, for his glory and our good.

1 Peter 5:2 - Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers–not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve;

Click here to visit my blog.

Grace and Truth,
Dale